Wren nodded and looked over at Harper. “Will you be okay if I go?”
Harper rolled her eyes but nodded. “Yeah, I was fine before, and I’ll be okay now! Go have fun.”
“After your class tomorrow, we are going out,” Wren advised.
I swear Harper’s smile had never been bigger. She let out a soft, “Okay.”
Reed gave his sister a one-armed hug, then glanced at me and said nothing—but the look he gave me was not casual.
I just nodded. Got it.Behave.
The door shut behind them a minute later, and the house fell quiet.
28
TUCKER
Harper’s house was, for lack of a better word, fucked. Besides the roof caving in, the upstairs interior was destroyed. Drywall needed to be replaced since the leak got in between the walls. The carpet needed to be torn up, and I think that at this point she would need new flooring. Maybe even a new set of stairs.
But I would do anything to see her back in this house. This is the reason I left Cam’s last night. I wanted to get a head start on fixin’ up her place. The dumpster was dropped off early this morning, and I already had a few men on her roof and a couple inside, tearing up carpet. I stood in the driveway watching the men work on the roof, giving myself a break. I took off my trusty cowboy hat, wiping the sweat that was rolling down my temple. Even though it was already October, the weather was unusually warm today. I put my hat back on and noticed a car pulling up to the curb. It was a familiar white Jeep.
Harper opened the door, staring at me in utter disbelief. It was supposed to be a surprise that I got started on things, and I guess that worked. She looked fuckin’ adorable in her little Halloween sweater and leggings. Her pink hair was straightenedand up in pigtails, while a few pieces framed her face. Her makeup was done, but it wasn't enough to take away from her natural beauty. This woman was absolutely ethereal. She was constantly taking my breath away. I smiled at her, tipping my hat in greeting.
Cameron stepped out of the passenger side next. I swear the man was handcrafted by the big man himself. I looked him up and down and instinctively licked my lips. His auburn hair was down but hidden under a backwards ball cap. He wore a plain black T-shirt and an old sherpa-lined flannel. Cam was a little less built than I was, but his flannel still strained against his arms and broad shoulders. Remember what was hiding underneath that shirt almost had me moaning.
He gave an awkward three-fingered wave as they walked closer. Cameron spoke before she did. “What an odd coincidence. Is this the reason you only got like two hours of sleep?” He sighed while pointing at the house.
Amongst other things.
“Yes, sir.” He tried to hide the smile on his lips when he heard me speak. “I wanted to get a head start on it as a surprise, but here you both are.”
Harper’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Here we are.” She walked up to me with open arms, clearly wanting a hug.
“Sugar, I have been working for a while. I’m sweaty as hell.” Her arms stayed open, and she shook her head. She didn’t care. So, in return, I opened mine.
She was so small compared to me. I stood well over a foot taller than her at six feet six. Her head rested in the space between my chest and stomach. I couldn’t help but think about how easy it would be to lift her and fuck her senseless against the back of my truck. I’m not sure the neighbors or my men would appreciate it, though. Honestly, my guys probably wouldn’t care, but her neighbors would definitely not be thrilled.
Harper pulled back a bit, hands now resting at my hips, and her big, doe brown eyes bore into mine, speaking a silent request that I could never ignore. I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers. She let out a small moan in relief, smiling against my mouth. She tasted like chai and strawberry ChapStick. The taste of her was fucking intoxicating. I pulled back and smiled at her.
“Go on in and check it out.” I nodded at the house. “There’s a ton of work to do, Sugar, but it’s a start. I’ll be there in a minute, okay?” She swallowed hard, giving me a curt nod. When she let me go and turned to head inside, I gave her ass a light swat. She turned around and walked backwards while she spoke.
“Don’t start anything you aren't willing to finish.” She winked and turned around, walking inside.
Cam and I were both staring at her from the end of the driveway. He cleared his throat, causing me to look at him. He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly nervous. Then he said something that stunned me.
“I’m going to pay for this.” He gestured at the house. “She said she wired you five grand already?”
I gave him a small nod.
“I’ll take care of the other twenty-five tomorrow.” He took out his phone, “Can I get your number so I can have my accountant transfer it?”
“Absolutely. This is really sweet, Cam. She means a lot to you, huh?” I took his phone, typed in my name and number, then handed it back to him.
He looked at the house as if he could still see her, a smile growing on his face. “Yeah, Tuck. She does.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the nickname. It was one everyone used, but hearing it come from his mouth practically melted my old heart.
“Come on,” I said, holding out my hand. Normally, Iwouldn’t have done that, but I wanted to test the waters with him. I needed to know how slow I needed to take things.
